MINOT, N.D. – Minot State University dug an early hole it could not claw out of as the University of Mary won going away 86-63 in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference women's basketball Saturday at the MSU Dome.

The Beavers (2-10 overall, 0-6 NSIC) trailed 23-8 after a slow start and while Minot State mustered a couple runs, U-Mary never relinquished the lead.

"We had a great week of practice, but the things we are getting done in practice are not transferring into game situations – including playing hard every possession and executing the game plan," said MSU head coach Sheila Green Gerding. "When we figure that out, good things will come."

Minot State finished shooting in the mid-30 percent range, but struggled early on, making just 3 of 18 shots in the first quarter. The Marauders (7-7, 2-4), on the other hand, knocked down 10 of their first 12 in the first quarter and shot a superb 66 percent overall.

"We need to mesh better and come out with more heart and execution on both ends," said MSU sophomore guard Madison Wald. "We just don't come out strong enough. We are behind early by 10 of 15 points and that's tough."

Wald was one bright spot on offense as she hit 9 of 14 from the field and 5 of 8 on 3-pointers to score a career-high 23 points to lead all scorers. She added three assists as well.

"Maddie played really well tonight," Green Gerding said. "It was great to see her back to playing like she did before she got injured."

After the early lead, MSU got it back to 13 in the third quarter on a pair of free throws by Diondra Denton and a layup by Haley Hildenbrand, but U-Mary outscored MSU 17-3 over the final eight minutes of the third to make it a 20-point game.

Hannah Larson and Lauren Rotunda netted 16 points apiece to pace five different Marauders in double figures.

Along with Wald's 23, MSU had three other players reach double figures. Denton scored 11 points and Kristal Flowers and Mariah Payne each finished with 10. Flowers pulled down a team-high seven rebounds, while Payne dished out five assists and added three steals in the loss.

MSU is off until a road trip just before the New Year as the Beavers play at St. Cloud State and Minnesota Duluth Dec. 30 and 31.

About Minot State
Minot State University is a member of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) and NCAA Division II offering 14 men's and women's varsity intercollegiate athletics programs. The NSIC is a premier NCAA DII, 16-member conference featuring teams in North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Nebraska and Iowa. The Beavers are the only public NCAA Division II institution in the state of North Dakota.